Abu Dhabi Grand Prix: Max Verstappen qualifies on pole for F1 season-finale with title rival Lewis Hamilton in second

Max Verstappen will start the F1 season finale at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix on pole position after setting a time three-tenths faster than anyone else. Lewis Hamilton will start in second on the mediums with Lando Norris in third.

Lewis Hamilton quickest in Q1

Despite it being the final Q1 of the season, it was a relatively quiet first session. Hamilton produced in the low one-minute 23s in the first set of laps, four-tenths quicker than Verstappen’s first.

Lando Norris continued his strong pace as he knocked a bollard over on his way to fourth quickest on his first lap. The bollard, that was hit by Mick Schumacher into Norris’ path, stayed on the track and forced a red flag.

Hamilton kept the fastest lap of the session while we lost Nikita Mazepin, Schumacher, Kimi Raikkonen (in his last ever qualy), George Russell and Nicholas Latifi from the session.

Max Verstappen moves on to the softs in Q2

In Q2, all but the two Aston Martin’s decided to set their first laps on the mediums. Hamilton was only four-thousandths of a second quicker than Verstappen. 

Verstappen then locked up going into turn one, causing a small flat spot to his last set of medium tyres. Something that could come back to haunt him in the race.

On the last set of laps, despite the jockeying for track position, it was Verstappen on the soft tyres who set the fastest lap. Meaning the two championship contenders will start the race on different tyres.  

We lost Sebastian Vettel, Antonio Giovinazzi, Lance Stroll, Pierre Gasly and Fernando Alonso from the session.

Advantage Verstappen going into Sunday’s race

In the final session of the season, it was the Red Bulls who went out first. And it was Verstappen who was five-tenths quicker than Hamilton.

On the final set of laps, it was Mercedes who this time went out first with the two Red Bulls out last. 

But Hamilton couldn’t find the time Verstappen found and the Dutchman will start the final grand prix on the front of the grid.

Norris put his McLaren into third position, ahead of Sergio Perez in fourth. Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari will start fifth. Valtteri Bottas had a disappointing session and will start sixth. Charles Leclerc starts seventh with Yuki Tsunoda eighth in the AlphaTauri. Esteban Ocon will start ninth for Alpine with Daniel Ricciardo in 10th in the other McLaren.

By Charlie Parker